Chen Rio - A Pool the Rocks Built
A stop on Cozumel: San Miguel and the Island, a free self-guided tour.
Chen Rio is the east coast's exception, and locals know it. A rim of rock curves out from the shore and shelters a small, calm pool from the open sea beyond, so on most days families can wade and float here while the waves break harmlessly a few yards out.
It is one of the few places on this side of the island where a swim is usually reasonable, so it draws both visitors and island families. The name is said to come from a small river in the land behind the beach.
Even here, read the water before you go in. The pool is only calm inside the rocks, and outside them the same currents that make the rest of this coast dangerous are at work. In winter, when cold fronts sweep down from the north, the surf can build on any shore. Stay inside the sheltered area, keep children close, and watch for any warning flags.
Getting here: Continue south on the coast road for a few minutes. The beach is on your left, with a parking area by the road.
Did you know?: Cozumel's whole eastern shore lacks a protective reef, which is why a beach with a natural rock breakwater like Chen Rio stands out.
Photo op: Stand at the south end of the beach and frame the calm pool in the foreground with the white surf breaking on the rocks behind it.
Stops on this tour
- Plaza del Sol - Where the Island Says Hello
- Iglesia de San Miguel - The Archangel Who Hid
- Museo de la Isla - The Island in One Building
- San Gervasio - Pilgrims of the Moon Goddess
- Punta Morena - Where the Island Turns Wild
- Chen Rio - A Pool the Rocks Built
- El Mirador - An Arch in the Surf
- Punta Sur - Lighthouse at the End of the Island
- El Cedral - The Village of the Vow
- Chankanaab - The Little Sea and the Reef
- San Miguel Waterfront - Sunset Over the Channel